D&D 5E Boosting Sorcerers, Focus: Fun (+thread)

[TwoSix]

(And not that I've mentioned it... I'm also a proponent of making domain-specific spell lists for clerics too. While the bonus spells are an okay way to give a bit of theme to a cleric... there are so many spells in the cleric list that are "off-theme" to whatever their domain is that it often feels like every cleric is the same regardless of the domain they are. Because again... there are certain spells that are just better than others that always seem to be prepared, even if it makes little sense for the domain.)

I've been advocating for themed casters to be the default since, like, 2007, so I'm right there with you.

 

[jsaving]

I'm actually not sure the sorcerer needs to exist in a ruleset where wizards are able to (more or less) spontaneously cast. But if the sorcerer is going to exist, here are the changes I would make:

1 - Access to the entire wizard spell list.

2 - Ability to spontaneously apply metamagic feats she doesn't have, a certain number of times per day.

3 - Ability to spontaneously cast spells she doesn't know, by burning two spell slots of the appropriate level, a certain number of times per day.

What's needed in my judgment is to make sorcerers much more flexible than wizards so they become a flavorful alternative to wizards.

 

[MoonSong]

An idea I'm toying with is to allow some if not most metamagics to apply to cantrips for free. With some exceptions (quicken, twin, empower, heighten) applying metamagic to a cantrip for free wouldn't break anything. This would do wonders to reinforce the theme of the sorcerer with potentially every casting.

A more concrete proposal.
From the get go, the sorcerer can add any of these metamagics for free to cantrips:
Subtle
Distant
Extend
Careful
Transmuted

At second level, you can apply these to leveled spells at its normal cost.

At third level, you pick one or two of the more powerful metamagics and you can apply them at their normal cost.

This is a recognition that not all metamagics are equal, and that allows you to apply them more liberally and freely. Possibly even without having to sacrifice spells cast in order to be flavorful every time you cast.

And all this enhanced by having just two more spells known at first level.

There's very few things more irritating than someone constantly complaining about rules they don't like or don't think works... but do absolutely nothing to try and fix it for themselves at their table. Instead they just come here onto ENWorld making the exact same complaints that WotC isn't "fixing things" for years on end.

Again, it doesn't matter what I personally do as a DM, because when I'm a player I'm playing on another DM's table. I welcome third party and do homebrew myself, but when I'm playing as a player, if it isn't official, it might as well not exist because I can't benefit from my own homebrew unless I find that special DM that admits some homebrew. If I cry and whine and complaing isn't because I'm unable to find a solution myself, it is because I can't implement a solution myself that I would be able to benefit from. (Do you remember the Enworld Noble? one of the oldest third party classes? I've never been able to play one. And I wrote the class.)

 

[DEFCON 1]

Again, it doesn't matter what I personally do as a DM, because when I'm a player I'm playing on another DM's table. I welcome third party and do homebrew myself, but when I'm playing as a player, if it isn't official, it might as well not exist because I can't benefit from my own homebrew unless I find that special DM that admits some homebrew. If I cry and whine and complaing isn't because I'm unable to find a solution myself, it is because I can't implement a solution myself that I would be able to benefit from. (Do you remember the Enworld Noble? one of the oldest third party classes? I've never been able to play one. And I wrote the class.)

Sounds like your time might've been better spent looking for other DMs that would've let you use the occasional house rule, rather than sitting in a funk for 6 years because WotC wasn't making the changes you wanted.

 

[GlassJaw]

Two words:

Spell.Points.

The biggest problem with the sorcerer is its lack of identity. The warlock has unique mechanics and the wizard has a ton of versatility. The sorcerer is supposed to be the "blaster" but that has fallen by the wayside. The sorcerer's unique ability is metamagic but that is overshadowed by all the stuff the wizard and warlock get.

The playtest sorcerer had some awesome concept but it's clear the developers got cold feet at the eleventh hour and went the safe route with what we have now.

Get rid of sorcery points. Give more flexibility for selecting metamagics. Create unique spell lists for origins. I'd also like to see an "overcharge" ability that perhaps drains hit points (or Hit Dice).

I'd also look at bringing back some of the mechanics from the playtest. There was some really cool stuff in there.

 

[Remathilis]

WotC needs to stop with the cold feet about giving the sorcerer new spells and/or unique spells.

Sorcerers are more-or-less themed spellcasters but thier spell list doesn't have enough variety to support a theme. If you're a fire-draconic you have your choice, but the other elementalists are sorely lacking. I mean, Icewind Dale introduced a brand-new frost spell and what did WotC do? Wizard only. There are several shadow-related spells in XGE but the shadow sorcerer gets one of them (shadow blade). I'm 90% certain the Aberrant and Clockwork souls get bonus spells because WotC figured out there isn't any real psionic or support magic on the sorcerer list without them.

TCE was a step in the right direction, but WotC needs to give the other sorcerers the same bonus spell treatment and then give them unique spells wizards and/or warlocks don't get automatic access to as well. Especially spells that tie to the unique themes (draconic, wild, shadow, storm, etc).

 

[tetrasodium]

Sounds like your time might've been better spent looking for other DMs that would've let you use the occasional house rule, rather than sitting in a funk for 6 years because WotC wasn't making the changes you wanted.

While I generally disagree with @MoonSong most of the time & think he idea of free twin cantrips would be absurdly broken he has a valid point there. 5e is in desperate need of a lot of phb2/5.25/5.5 style fixes that tcoe stopped short of being willing to do in favor of being overly conservative."You the gm can just homebrew bad design" is not a solution for the exact reason he said if nothing else as it forces perma-gm status or drives an experienced gm away from an otherwise solid group if a less experienced gm willing to step up doesn't feel comfortable with system changes. That's also the reason why the rarity of spellbooks & insufficient gold to use them in the 5e hardcover adventures is such a serious flaw.

 

[Laurefindel]

I’ve doubled the metamagic known in my game (makes it closer to battlemaster’s combat manoeuvres), but honestly, giving sorcerer access to all metamagic wouldn’t be broken.

Then there are sorcery points. A 50% sp recharge on a short rest 1/day is in line with arcane recovery (a bit weaker actually) when you convert to spell points.

the sorcerer capstone then becomes 100% sorcery points recharge on short rest, maybe with more uses per day.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

One issue I have is that Sorcery Points are simultaneously the Sorcerer's version of Arcane Recovery, but ALSO their fuel for Metamagic. So far me, this already puts the Sorcerer at a bit of a disadvantage. This is made even worse, IMO, by the fact that creating a spell slot costs more than the number of sorcery points you would receive if you consumed a spell slot of additional sorcery points.

So one thing I do is make the exchange rate consistent. The number of sorcery points you need to create a spell slot is the same number you receive for consuming a spell slot.

Another thing I have done is allow sorcerers to get Spell Versatility.

Third, I provide more metamagic. The sorcerer gets 4 options at level 3, and two more at levels 10 and 17 for a total of 8 metamagic options.

Finally, I provide a thematic bonus spell list similar to what clerics get. This provides one free cantrip, and two known spells for each level up to 5th level spells. This cantrip and these spells don't count against the normal limit of known spells, and also can't be changed out via Spell Versatility.

I also have a couple of additional homebrew metamagic options.

 

[SkidAce]

Our Rules:

Sorcerers get meta magic at the normal rate, but can learn more through training or discovery, like wizards and spells.

Sorcerers can learn more "on-theme" spells through training or discovery.